Prednisone Withdrawal Symptoms

Prednisone is a steroidal drug that is used to combat many common ailments that are of a serious nature. Along with this medication, you will receive specific instructions on how to take it. This will include a proper regimen for coming off of the medicine gradually at the end of treatment. Why is this the case? Abruptly ceasing the use of prednisone can result in prednisone withdrawal symptoms. What do these symptoms include?

One of the most common symptoms of prednisone withdrawal is a feeling of weakness or severe fatigue. This is because the immune system is weakened. It may also result in body aches and a low grade fever as though a cold were coming on. Joint pain is also common. Also on the list of prednisone withdrawal side effects is depression. This is because withdrawal from the drug causes hormonal changes in the body. Also because of the hormone changes, a woman who comes off of prednisone too quickly may experience side effects concerning her menstrual cycle. It may become temporarily irregular.

Prednisone and Weight Gain: Prednisone also may often cause rapid weight gain in those who are taking it. After ceasing the medication, the weight will likely also come back off quickly.

This can worsen feelings of fatigue. Nausea is also common. If the nausea is very bad, it may result in fainting. So do not be surprised if you loose some weight rather rapidly after ending your prednisone treatment.

Please note that the longer you are on prednisone, the worse you can expect the prednisone withdrawal symptoms to be should you cease taking the medication suddenly. For this reason, doctors generally only prescribe prednisone for short periods of time unless absolutely necessary.

Generally prednisone is prescribed for immune disorders, serious allergic reactions, or severe inflammation. If you stop the medication too quickly, the disease will likely recur. This is because the body is still depending on the medication to keep the condition at bay. This also makes it vital to come off of the medication gradually, so that your body has time to adjust and fight your health problem without the prednisone.

For these and other reasons it is vital that prednisone be taken as prescribed. This includes the length of time that medication should be taken, the dosage to be used, and the regimin for coming off of the drug. When used properly, prednisone can help with may serious conditions, and the majority of the prednisone withdrawal symptoms can be avoided.